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FERNANDO GREGÓRIO

I’m an augmented and mixed reality (AR/XR) creator and educator based in Brooklyn, NY.
I have a graduate degree from NYU’s Interactive Telecommunications Program (ITP) and more than ten years of experience working in creating experimental storytelling through video and new media art. Contact me for more information or work requests.


 FERNANDO GREGÓRIO 



















DETAILED PROJECTS

IGNOTO VIBRATIONS   XR SCULPTURE   2022   
CLIENT:RIO ART MUSEUM (MAR), GOETHE INSTITUTE 
POSITION:XR DIRECTOR AND CREATOR 
TOOLS: 8TH WALL, BLENDER, MIRO


Ignoto Vibrations is a mixed-reality sculpture series prototype and performance commissioned for the Museum Conference at Rio Art Museum (MAR) in Brazil. I co-created the project in collaboration with the artist Rodrigo Andreolli and the architect Marilia Piraju. As an XR director, I coordinated an international team of tech professionals (AR developer, 3D modeler, and animator) and designed the user experience.

The fire at the National Museum of Rio de Janeiro on September 2, 2018, created images loaded with symbolic force about the treatment conditions given to Brazil's scientific and cultural research. This fire caused the loss of the most important museum collections in the country's history, but at the same time made us reflect on the weight of certain historical narratives, urging us to trace new memories that re-exist beyond the destroyed matter. Fire, in its tragic manifestation, also reaches its transcendental aspect.

Based on the study of narratives brought by researchers and members of the National Museum collection rescue team, this project proposes a prototype exhibition in Mixed Reality, motivated by 3D scans of some of the recovered pieces and the memories lost in the fire.







CREATION PROCESS





CREDITS
Research Direction, Creation, Production: Rodrigo Andreolli

Mixed Reality Director, Creation: Fernando Gregório

Creation, Scenic Architecture: Marília Pirajú

Augmented Reality Development: Name Atchareeya Jattuporn

Animation and 3D Modeling: Gabriel Brasil

Texts, Drawings and Performance:
Bruxa Profana Latino-americana
Clamor
Fernando Gregorio
João Vitor Cavalcante
Moonlight Mendez
Marília Piraju
Rodrigo Andreolli
Vick Nefertiti

Musicians
André Souza
Kaio Ventura

Design, sound editing and audiovisual recording
Renato Pascoal

Illustrations
Nash Laila
Vincent

Assistant
Valerie Chen

Locksmith
Maurício - Fina Serralheria - Bixiga, São Paulo

Consultancy
Mother Celina de Xango


Thanks
Antonia Cattan
Carolina Bonfim
Clelio de Paula
Fel Barros
Flavia Meirelles
Gustavo Caboco
Henrique Entratice
Lucas Canavarro
Luiz Cruz
Maria Catarina Duncan
Renato Caldas
Rosabelli Coelho-Keyssar
Collaboration
Goethe Institut Rio de Janeiro

Fernanda Galvão, Julian Fuchs, Robin Mallick

National Museum of Rio de Janeiro

Crenivaldo Veloso Jr., João Pacheco de Oliveira, Maria Elizabeth Zucolotto, Maria Gabriela Evangelista, Juliana Sayão, Michele de Barcelos Agostinho, Paula de Aguiar Silva Azevedo, Pedro Luis Von Seehausen, Rafael de Andrade, Sergio Alex Kugland de Azevedo, Silvia Reis

LAPID - Image and Signal Processing Laboratory - UFRJ - Federal University of Rio de Janeiro

Bendegó and Heart Scarab 3D Models provided by LAPID

3D Abebé de Oxum and Ritxokó models created by Rodrigo Andreolli and Gabriel Brasil from images by Pedro Von Seehausen

Support
MISTI Brazil - Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Rio Art Museum
Teatro Oficina
Universidade Antropófaga










THE FIREBIRD   XR SCULPTURE   2021   
CLIENT:PROTOTYPE    POSITION:CREATOR AND DIRECTOR   
TOOLS:BLENDER, SPARK AR, LENS STUDIO, ILLUSTRATOR, PERFORMANCE



The Firebird is a mixed reality live performance. It tells a more-than-human myth about extinction, migration, and dreams in the context of an environmental emergency. The audience experiences this through choreography, relational physical sculptures and AR layers.

The project is currently in its prototype and research phase, reflecting significant potential for further development. I’m seeking additional support to fully realize its vision. Any form of support will be greatly appreciated.



The eyes of the Firebird. Choreographic experiment with AR layer visualized through an AR app


Choreographic experiment without AR layers visualized through an AR app



HOW IT WORKS

As part of performance-installation, the audience dynamically interacts with AR layers, moving in sync with the performance. The piece features unique target trackers, each borne by a different performer. These trackers trigger distinct audiovisual AR sculptures that represent various parts of an unseen critter: the left eye, the right eye, wings, the fire seed technology in the Firebird’s belly, and the tail.


The audience can see the AR layers of the moving sculpture through AR glasses or cellphones and Ipads


Audiences can activate these trackers via an app on their cellphone or an AR headset, enhancing their involvement in the collective choreography and their connection to the mixed reality sculptures.





THE MYTH

A fire catastrophe destroys The Firebird community, forcing the sole survivor to migrate to the last safe place: A-city, where no one is allowed to sleep anymore. Now, they need to find a way of ensuring that their dream-tree technology won't go extinct.



Earlier experiments with audience interaction



SUPPORT

The journey to the prototype stage of "The Firebird" has been supported by several entities:

  • NYU Tisch School of the Arts Graduate Research Fellowship, 2021-22
  • Summer Round of Sundance Interdisciplinary Program (IDP) granting, 2021
  • 2 weeks residency at The Brooklyn College Performing Arts Center in partnership with The Public Theater supported by the Tow Foundation, Brooklyn, New York, 2021
  • New York Foundation for the Ars - City Artist Corps Grants, 2021



Visual Identity by Dawn Sinkowski


CREDITS

Conception, Direction and technology: Fernando Gregório
Production, Strategic development and Visual Identity: Dawn Sinkowski
Assistance: Joyce Lai
Performance: Joyce Lai and Hunter Bryant
Sound: Cy X
Wearable design (phase 1): Wei Kang
Interpreter-creators for (phase 1): Viola Leqi He, Chaski No and Sol Cabrini (solychaski)










VOICES FROM THE CAVE   XR INSTALLATION   2021   
CLIENT: THEATER COMMUNICATIONS GROUP  POSITION:XR DIRECTOR AND CREATOR  
TOOLS: 8THWALL, BLENDER, 3D SCANNING



Voices from the Cave is a mixed-reality installation in which I gathered augmented reality 3D digital portraits of theater and live performance workers to share their visions about the past and future of theater through performative testimonials.

The project was commissioned by the Theater Communications Group for the event  “Emerging from the Cave: Artists Lead the Way, A TCG Forum”.

DOWNLOAD THE PDF













Drawings used in the installation as an AR target tracker.

Printed instructions were given to the audience to help them navigate the installation.




CREDITS

XR director and creator: Fernando Gregório

Dramaturg: Jesse Cameron Alick

Production: Fernando Gregório and Theater Communications Group

Web AR developer: Atchareeya Jattuporn

Actors: Abdullah Al-kafri, Ana Verde, Aneesh Sheth, Betty Shamieh, Claudia Alick, Clint Ramos, Hadi Tabal, Mary Kathryn Nagle, Reggie D. White, Sarah Ellis, Ty Defoe

Commissioned by the Theater Communications Group